SOURCES SOUGHT
99 -- Operation and Maintenance of a Chimpanzee Facility
- Notice Date
- 7/15/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541940
— Veterinary Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 105, Bethesda, Maryland, 20894, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20894
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-CSB-(RR)-SS-2011-264-KJM
- Archive Date
- 8/13/2011
- Point of Contact
- Kathleen J. Marsden, Phone: 3014350326
- E-Mail Address
-
marsdenk@mail.nih.gov
(marsdenk@mail.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought notice for the Operation and Maintenance of a Chimpanzee Facility, called the Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF), located on the Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB) in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform this requirement. These animals have special needs for care and housing due to infective status. I. Project Requirements A research reserve chimpanzee colony has been cared for and maintained at the APF for the past ten (10) years. Maintenance of chimpanzees is required, but no research will be allowed – the current agreements between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) prescribe that no invasive research shall be conducted on chimpanzees currently held at the APF. The 174 chimpanzees presently housed at the APF are caged in single sex groups. Few of the 174 chimpanzees are vasectomized or implanted with Norplant. Any NIH-owned animals taken off the base cannot be returned to the base. The number of chimpanzees is expected to decrease over time as they are needed elsewhere for research protocols, they die due to natural causes, or possibly are retired to sanctuaries. All the animals have been exposed to microorganisms such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), or both. The NIH will retain title to the chimpanzees, except if an appropriate transferee who will take title is identified. The animals will then be moved off-base at the expense of the transferee. There is no requirement or expectation for the Contractor to take title to the chimpanzees. The APF occupies a series of closely located buildings on the Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB). Each of Buildings 1301, 1302, 1303, and 1304 can house approximately 72 animals, in 12 dens holding approximately 6 animals each. Thus, the theoretical caging capacity is approximately 288 chimpanzees. Mechanical support for 1301-4 is provided by equipment in Building 1300. Buildings 1300-4 were built and first occupied in the 1990s, and are reasonably well preserved and functional. Nearby Building 1204, and its associated back-up generator, houses a clinic and BSL-3 laboratories. Various site and building schematics of the above buildings are available from the Contracting Officer. The caging in 1301-4 meets or exceeds required size minimums, and is a valuable facility that the Contractor shall be required to repair as necessary. If repairs are required to a specific area housing up to 24 animals, there is sufficient capacity within Buildings 1301-1304 to move animals to allow repairs to be completed. The following description is the present estimate of the staff that will be required, but some future negotiations will likely be necessary in the event the chimpanzee population decreases: PROFESSIONAL STAFF - Director, Deputy Director, two additional Veterinarians, Veterinary Resident, and Nurse/OSH Officer TECHNICAL STAFF - Program Administrator, Information Technologist, Behaviorist, Clinical Technician, Colony Manager, Secretary ANIMAL CARE STAFF - 1-2 supervisory and 13-14 other, including one or more enrichment technicians MAINTENANCE STAFF – 1 supervisory and 4 other The perceived advantage of having consultants is that they would not have to be retained as full-time employees, and some would not necessarily have to be located in New Mexico. An off-site veterinary pathologist and related services will be needed to necropsy animals, and process and interpret necropsy tissues. In addition, the APF should develop a formal agreement with an Alamogordo or Las Cruces physician who will provide scheduled and emergency consultations and care, related to potential zoonoses acquired from chimpanzees. New hire training and periodic refresher training for all employees is required for employees at all levels. Guidance regarding these issues can be obtained from OLAW, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, AALAS, ACLAM, and AAALAC. The professional staff described above could attend 1 professional meeting per year at the contract's expense. The veterinary staff must stagger this attendance to allow 24/7 coverage of the APF. In accordance with the current NIH-held Animal Welfare, dated June 12, 2007, APF contractor staff will receive training comparable to that provided by the Associate Director for Training, Education, and Program-Liaison which will be approved by the Director, Office of Animal Care and Use (OACU), and presented by Contractor personnel at the APF. The major challenges at the APF result from the desert climate with its rapidly fluctuating temperatures, and the biosafety considerations for these chimpanzees. A walk-through every 2 hours for temperature monitoring, security reasons, and gross observation of the animals is required. Protective clothing, appropriate showering, proper waste disposal, and other BL2/BL3 biosafety practices are necessary. DIET -standard commercially available chow supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. SANITATION -hosing of floors 2 times/day, periodic pressure washing of cage surfaces. HEALTH CARE -periodic physicals and TB testing for all chimpanzees, serum and DNA and possibly semen banking, blood sampling and shipping for off-site HIV and HCV testing, standard vaccinations and other standard preventative health care for chimpanzees, veterinary care for unexpected health problems and wounding from cagemates, and rare instances of euthanasia when ordered by a veterinarian considering the best interests of a particular chimpanzee. PREVENTION OF BREEDING/GROUPING OF CHIMPANZEES –The 174 animals currently housed at the APF have already been divided into cages containing animals of the same sex, and this should continue to be the primary method used to prevent breeding. In this case, some shields may need to be placed to prevent inter-cage copulation. However, since non-single housing is a primary need for environmental enrichment, and not all adult male chimpanzees can be co-housed with other male chimpanzees, other allowable methods to prevent breeding can include vasectomy, tubal ligation, Norplant implants, and pregnancy terminations. NIH expects that no conceptions of chimpanzees at the APF will occur, and for surgical terminations to be performed if they do occur. The Air Force will require that any chimpanzee that is born at the APF be removed, probably with its mother, within 30 days of birth. ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT-A Behaviorist shall provide environmental enrichment to all 174 animals. A primary need of chimpanzees is to be housed with other conspecifics whenever possible (in the opinion of the Behaviorist). The chimpanzees should be allowed access to the outdoors when climatically advisable, and be provided indoor shelter when necessary. Buildings 1301, 1302, 1303, and 1304 each include 12 cages with indoor and outdoor sections that together hold approximately 6 animals per cage. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Animal records shall be maintained on all animals, to include both behavioral and clinical health records. Security procedures such as the use of passwords and backup copies, and LAN system implementation and maintenance shall be continued. CLINICAL LAB ACCESS -access to on-site or off-site clinical lab capabilities will be necessary to maintain the health of the 174 chimpanzees. NECROPSY - As specified in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Director, NCRR and the Deputy Director of Intramural Research, any instances of animal death or injury must be reported by phone or email to the Project Officer and the Director, NIH OACU, within 24 hours. Any such incidents deemed to be significant deficiencies according to PHS Policy will be verbally reported to OLAW and followed-up in writing upon completion of appropriate Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) investigations and implementation of corrective actions. In the case of a death from an unknown cause, a necropsy must be done under BL2 containment. ADMINISTRATIVE -NIH staff believe that a variety of logistical methods mixing on-site and offsite capabilities can be used to satisfy administrative requirements. Various types of umbrella liability, employee injury, renter's insurance for damage to the buildings and theft of contents, vehicle insurance, etc. will be needed by the Contractor. One definite need is that all costs for operating and maintaining the APF must receive separate accounting from other costs to the Contractor for other sites and tasks. Inspections by the Contract's Program Officer and/or Contract Officer are to be expected, but it is not likely that a NIH representative will usually be located on-site. USDA, OLAW, AAALAC -Intramural NIH’s Animal Welfare Assurance includes the APF, and expects the APF to hold a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) R Registration for the APF, and continue to be subject to courtesy inspections. It is expected that both USDA and AAALAC representatives will periodically visit the APF and issue reports to the Contractor and NIH. Major Alterations and Renovations may be needed to the APF to correct deficiencies that the USDA may categorize as "must be replaced or repaired." The Contractor will be responsible for obtaining estimates for these repairs, and the workscope of the contract and funds for its completion will be modified as necessary. After discussion with NIH staff members, attempts will be made to address deficiencies identified during AAALAC site visits. The APF will continue to maintain accreditation by AAALAC. In addition, as noted on page 7 of NIH Policy Manual 304-2, the NIH Director of OACU will review and approve all animal facility construction and renovation plans. A license from the Drug Enforcement Agency to one or more veterinary staff of the APF for the use of drugs in chimpanzees at the APF will be required. ACUC- Since Intramural NIH holds the Animal Welfare Assurance, the designees of this subdivision of NIH will manage the ACUC in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Director of NCRR and the Deputy Director of Intramural Research. The ACUC will be constituted and meet in New Mexico, and will provide the functions required by OLAW, USDA, and pages 11-13 of NIH Policy Manual 3040-2. Members from the Contractor's staff and outside members with appropriate qualifications will be appointed by the Director of the Division of Comparative Medicine, NCRR, to serve on the ACUC. As specified in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Director, NCRR and the Deputy Director of Intramural Research, any instances of animal death or injury must be reported by phone or email to both the Project Officer and the Director, NIH OACU, within 24 hours. Any such incidents deemed to be significant deficiencies according to PHS Policy will be verbally reported to OLAW and followed-up in writing upon completion of appropriate ACUC investigations and implementation of corrective actions. SECURITY -The HAFB has a manned guard booth that restricts vehicular access to the large HAFB. During non-regular business hours, a walk-through of the various APF buildings every 2-4 hours for temperature monitoring, security reasons, and gross observation of the animals is required. WRITTEN SOPS - SOPs shall be written that cover most aspects of animal care and health, occupational safety and health for the staff, and for reporting and administrative requirements. SOPs relevant to OSH should be approved by the Nurse/OSH Director, and SOPs relevant to Animal Care should be approved by the ACUC. ADVISORY COMMITTEE -An advisory committee of 5-6 members should periodically (at least annually) review the APF's operation and serve as an advisory body for programmatic issues. Plans for possible facility modernization and major repairs should be presented to the advisory committee. The Project Officer has the right to refuse the appointment of any named member that the Project Officer believes would be disruptive to the functioning of the committee, or be detrimental to NIH's interests. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH)/ ANIMAL EXPOSURE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (AESP) - In accordance with the NIH-held Animal Welfare dated June 21, 2007 the APF contractor shall provide appropriate OSH services to its employees, and the appropriateness of those services will be confirmed by NIH's Division of Occupational Safety and Health. In addition, NIH Policy Manuals 3040-2 (especially pages 6 & 7) and 3044-2 must be followed. An on-site Nurse/OSH Officer and access to a physician consultant located in Alamogordo (or a nearby town) will be needed. PREEMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL EXAMS, HEALTH SCREENING, and VACCINATIONS for hepatitis B, measles. vaccinia, mumps, and rubella are needed, as appropriate for each individual employee. Contractor personnel entering the HAFB must comply with all relevant HAFB Health and Safety requirements. Persons having active tuberculosis are excluded from work with contract chimpanzees. All appropriate personnel should be immunized against hepatitis A and C, HIV, and other relevant diseases as safe and effective vaccines become available. CONTINUED HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND A SERUM BANK -A schedule for periodic blood banking, TB testing and revaccination of employees with chimpanzee contact shall be followed. EMERGENCY CARE - plans on a 24/7 basis shall be maintained and provided to all employees. PREEMPLOYMENT AND CONTINUED TRAINING REGARDING OSH for microbiological biosafety and prevention of chimpanzee-related injuries will be necessary. WASTES -At present, urine and feces from the chimpanzees are treated at the same sewage treatment plant that receives potentially HIV and HCV-contaminated-human sewage. Sharps such as hypodermic needles, soiled personnel protective equipment, and animal tissues that are potentially biohazardous must be appropriately treated and disposed, probably through an appropriate commercial company such as Stericycle of El Paso, Texas. MAINTENANCE• Maintenance and minor repairs to the interior and exterior, and general maintenance of the APF is required. MODERNIZATION -The Contractor shall develop a proactive method by which necessary major repairs are identified, evaluated, and implemented in a timely manner. The methods for this are expected to vary depending on the scope and severity and expense of the repair. USDA INSPECTIONS -The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring the APF complies with standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Public Health Service (PHS). However, major Alterations and Renovations may be needed to the APF to correct deficiencies that the USDA may categorize as "must be replaced or repaired." The Contractor will be responsible for obtaining estimates for these repairs, and the workscope of the contract and funds for its completion will be modified as necessary. After discussion with NIH staff members, attempts will be made to address deficiencies identified during AAALAC site visits. The APF will seek to maintain accreditation by AAALAC. As noted on page 6 of NIH Policy Manual3040-2, the NIH Director OACU will review and approve all animal facility renovation plans. COSTS- No invasive biomedical research will be required or allowed under this contract and no direct or indirect costs for any independent research and development project can be charged to this contract. UTILITIES -As discussed in the Use Permit, the Air Force will provide electricity, gas, water, and disposal of wastewater up to a designated cost per month. Any costs above this designated cost per month will be paid by NIH via the contract, unless the Contractor has been negligent in the use of utilities. II. Anticipated Period of Performance A cost reimbursement contract is anticipated with an award date on or about September 2011 with a nine-month base period and two subsequent one-year option periods. III. Capability Statement NHLBI is interested in soliciting capability statements from all qualified Offerors demonstrating their ability to perform this effort. At a minimum, prospective Offerors must document capabilities in the following areas: 1.Competence and experience in the operation and maintenance of a large chimpanzee facility conforming to all Federal laws, Federal policies, NRC and ILAR recommendations. 2.Competence and experience of current professional and support personnel, and proposed plan for the acquisition of additional personnel. 3.Evidence of ability to provide the management oversight, support, staffing, quality control, assistance, and resources needed to perform the work at the APF. We ask that you address items 1 through 3 in your response. The capability statement shall not exceed 20 single sided or 10 double sided pages in length. Please include your DUNS number and identify your size classification relative to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code of 541940 for this requirement. Include a statement whether or not you are a small business; HUBZone small business; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small business; women-owned small business; or small disadvantaged business in order to assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. Electronic copies of the capability statement must be received at the following email address no later than July 29, 2011: marsdenk@mail.nih.gov. Do not include budget information. When submitting this information, please refer to Sources Sought Notice NHLBI-CSB-(RR)-SS-2011-264-KJM. Responses that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered. This notice will close fifteen days from its posting. Questions may be directed to the Contracting Officer, Kathleen J. Marsden, marsdenk@mail.nih.gov, 301-435-0326. Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).”
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- Place of Performance
- Address: Alamogordo Primate Facility, Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States
- Record
- SN02500462-W 20110717/110715235316-ec6705a3084e48a935a20a0a32ae82b9 (fbodaily.com)
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